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<div class="title"> Module Documentation: eml</div>
</td><td><a class="navlink" href="index.html">Back to EML Contents</a></td>
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<div class="sectiontitle"> The eml module - A metadata container </div>
            
<p> The eml module is a wrapper container that allows the inclusion of any metadata
              content in a single EML document. The eml module is used as a container to hold
              structured descriptions of ecological resources. In EML, the definition of a resource
              comes from the <a href="http://dublincore.org/documents/usageguide/">
                 The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative 
              </a>, which describes a general element set used to describe "networked digital
              resources". The top-level structure of EML has been designed to be compatible with the
              Dublin Core syntax. In general, dataset resources, literature resources, software
              resources, and protocol resources comprise the list of information that may be
              described in EML. EML is largely designed to describe digital resources, however, it
              may also be used to describe non-digital resources such as paper maps and other
              non-digital media.  In EML, the definition of a "Data Package" is the
                combination of both the data and metadata for a resource.  So, data
              packages are built by using the &lt;eml&gt; wrapper, which will include all of
              the metadata, and optionally the data (or references to them). All EML packages must
              begin with the &lt;eml&gt; tag and end with the &lt;/eml&gt; tag. </p>
            
<p> The eml module may be extended to describe other resources by means of its
              optional sub-field, &lt;additionalMetadata&gt;. This field is largely reserved
              for the inclusion of metadata that may be highly discipline specific and not covered
              in this version of EML, or it may be used to internally extend fields within the EML
              standard. </p>
          
        
<div class="title">Module details</div>
<table border="0" class="tabledefault" id="eml">
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<td class="tablepanel"> Recommended Usage: </td><td class="tablepanel">all datasets</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"> Stand-alone: </td><td class="tablepanel">yes</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"> Imports: </td><td class="tablepanel">eml-documentation, eml-dataset, eml-literature, eml-software, eml-protocol, eml-resource, eml-access</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"> Imported By: </td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel"> View an image of the schema: </td><td class="tablepanel"><a href="eml.png" target="offline">eml image</a></td>
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<h2>Element Definitions:</h2>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="eml">eml&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Elements: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Use: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> How many: </span></td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> A sequence of (</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#access">access</a></td><td class="tablepanel">optional</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> A choice of (</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#dataset">dataset</a></td><td class="tablepanel">required</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> OR </td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#citation">citation</a></td><td class="tablepanel">required</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> OR </td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#software">software</a></td><td class="tablepanel">required</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> OR </td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#protocol">protocol</a></td><td class="tablepanel">required</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3">)</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#additionalMetadata">additionalMetadata</a></td><td class="tablepanel">optional</td><td class="tablepanel">unbounded</td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3">)</td>
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Attributes: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Use: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Default Value: </span></td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#packageId">packageId</a></td><td class="tablepanel"><span class="plaintext">required</span></td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#system">system</a></td><td class="tablepanel"><span class="plaintext">required</span></td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#scope">scope</a></td>
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<blockquote>The "eml" element allows for the inclusion of any metadata content in a
          single EML document. In general, dataset resources, literature resources, and software
          resources, or another type that extends eml-resource are described using an eml document.
          The eml document represents a "package" that can contain both metadata and data. It can
          optionally include non-EML metadata through the flexibility of the "additionalMetadata"
          element. Any additional metadata that is provided can provide a pointer into the EML
          metadata indicating what the context of the additional metadata is (i.e., what it
          describes). For example, a spatial raster image might be described in EML, and an FGDC
          CSDGM metadata document could be included in the additionalMetadata element with a pointer
          to the EML spatialRaster element to indicate that the FGDC metadata is providing
          supplemental documentation about that particular image entity. There is no validity
          constraint that restricts what metadata may be present in additionalMetadata. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="access">access&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-access.html#AccessType">acc:AccessType</a></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>An optional access tree at this location controls access to the entire metadata document. If this access element is omitted from the document, then the package submitter should be given full access to the package but all other users should be denied all access. </blockquote>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="dataset">dataset&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-dataset.html#DatasetType">ds:DatasetType</a></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A resource that describes a data set, which can include one or more
                  data entities such as data tables and spatial images (raster and vector). If
                  included, this represents the primary resource that is described in this eml
                  document. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="citation">citation&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-literature.html#CitationType">cit:CitationType</a></td>
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<blockquote>A resource that describes a literature citation that one might find
                  in a bibliography. If included, this represents the primary resource that is
                  described in this eml document. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="software">software&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-software.html#SoftwareType">sw:SoftwareType</a></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A resource that describes a software package, which can include
                  commercial and non-commercial software as well as data processing programs. If
                  included, this represents the primary resource that is described in this eml
                  document. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="protocol">protocol&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
</tr>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-protocol.html#ProtocolType">prot:ProtocolType</a></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A resource that describes a scientific protocol, which can include
                  one or more descriptions of methods and procedures. If included, this represents
                  the primary resource that is described in this eml document. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="additionalMetadata">additionalMetadata&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
</tr>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Elements: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Use: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> How many: </span></td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> A sequence of (</td>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#describes">describes</a></td><td class="tablepanel">optional</td><td class="tablepanel">unbounded</td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#metadata">metadata</a></td><td class="tablepanel">required</td><td class="tablepanel"></td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3">)</td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Attributes: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Use: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Default Value: </span></td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel"><a class="sitelink" href="#id">id</a></td><td class="tablepanel"><span class="plaintext">optional</span></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A flexible field for including any other relevant metadata that
                pertains to the resource being described. This field allows EML to be extensible in
                that any XML-based metadata can be included in this element, including metadata from
                other standards such as the FGDC CSDGM. The "describes" element of this field allows
                the specific part of the resource which is described by the additional metadata to
                be indicated formally. </blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="describes">describes&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext">Type: </span><a class="sitelink" href="eml-resource.html#NonEmptyStringType">res:NonEmptyStringType</a></td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A pointer to the id attribute for the sub-portion of the
                      resource that is described by this additional metadata. This is a formal field
                      in that it is an error to provide a value in the "describes" element that does
                      not correspond to the value of one of the "id" attributes in another eml
                      module. This is designed to allow automated processors to discover the
                      contextual relationship between the additional metadata and the resource it
                      describes. <br>
<span class="boldtext">Example(s): </span>
<br>knb.343.22<br>
</blockquote>
</td>
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<td class="tablehead" colspan="1"><a class="sitelink" name="metadata">metadata&nbsp; </a></td><td class="tablehead" colspan="1">This element has no default value.</td>
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<td width="40%" class="tablepanel"> Content of this field: </td><td class="tablepanel"> Description of this field: </td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
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<td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Elements: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> Use: </span></td><td class="tablepanel" valign="top"><span class="boldtext"> How many: </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3"> A sequence of (</td>
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<td class="tablepanel" colspan="3">)</td>
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</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>This element contains the additional metadata to be included in
                      the document. This element should be used for extending EML to include
                      metadata that is not already available in another part of the EML
                      specification, or to include site- or system-specific extensions that are
                      needed beyond the core metadata. The additional metadata contained in this
                      field describes the element referenced in the 'describes' element preceding
                      it. The content of this field is any well-formed XML fragment. If that content
                      contains namespace declarations, and if the namespace declaration can be
                      resolved to a schema definition, then the content will be validated against
                      that schema definition. If no namespace is present, or if no schema can be
                      resolved, validation for this fragment will be skipped (validation is "lax"). <br>
<span class="boldtext">Example(s): </span>
<br>
                      &lt;embargoDate&gt;2006-10-10&lt;/embargoDate&gt;
                      <br>
</blockquote>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<h2>Attribute Definitions:</h2>
</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="tablehead"><a class="sitelink" name="id">id</a></td>
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<p>
<span class="boldtext">Type: </span><span class="plaintext"><a class="sitelink" href="eml-resource.html#IDType">res:IDType</a></span>
</p>
<p>
<span class="boldtext">Use: </span><span class="plaintext">optional</span>
</p>
</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="tablehead"><a class="sitelink" name="packageId">packageId</a></td>
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<td class="tablepanel">
<p>
<span class="boldtext">Type: </span><span class="plaintext"><span class="boldtext">xs:string</span></span>
</p>
<p>
<span class="boldtext">Use: </span><span class="plaintext">required</span>
</p>
</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>A unique identifier for this entire EML metadata document that can be
              used to reference it elsewhere. This identifier can be interpreted as the formal
              accession number for this EML package, and is therefore required. It must be unique
              within a particular data management system (see the "system" attribute). <br>
<span class="boldtext">Example(s): </span>
<br>knb.343.22<br>
</blockquote>
</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="tablehead"><a class="sitelink" name="system">system</a></td>
</tr>
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<td class="tablepanel">
<p>
<span class="boldtext">Type: </span><span class="plaintext"><a class="sitelink" href="eml-resource.html#SystemType">res:SystemType</a></span>
</p>
<p>
<span class="boldtext">Use: </span><span class="plaintext">required</span>
</p>
</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="tablehead"><a class="sitelink" name="scope">scope</a></td>
</tr>
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<p>
<span class="boldtext">Type: </span><span class="plaintext"><a class="sitelink" href="eml-resource.html#ScopeType">res:ScopeType</a></span>
</p>
</td><td valign="top" class="tablepanel" colspan="1">
<blockquote>The scope of the identifier. Scope is generally set to either "system",
              meaning that it is scoped according to the "system" attribute, or "document" if it is
              only to be in scope within this single document instance. In this particular use of
              scope, it is FIXED to be "system" because the packageId is required and always has the
              scope of the required "system". <br>
<span class="boldtext">Example(s): </span>
<br>system<br>
</blockquote>
</td>
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<td colspan="2">
<h2>Complex Type Definitions:</h2>
</td>
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</table>
<p class="contact"> Web Contact: <a href="mailto:jones@nceas.ucsb.edu">jones@nceas.ucsb.edu</a>
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